Door check



Aug. 24, 1948.` s. T. ALEXANDER v DOOR CHECK Filed Jan. 7, 1946 INVENToR. v

Bil/@M111 M :EHI/ C51 Patented Aug. 24, 1948 DOOR CHECK Samuel T. Alexander, Redondo Beach, Calif., as-

signor of one-third to Paul Eddy Richardson,

Los Angeles, Calif.

Application January 7, 1946,` Serial No; 639,532

My present invention relates to a door check, and more specifically to a. door check which not only will check the closing action of a door, but also will check the fully open positioning of the door to which the device is attached. Also, it will hold the door in a fully open position after bringing the door gently to a stop in such fully open position.

Numerous hydraulic door checks have been devised which will close a door and hold it in closed position. One such effective type of door check is disclosed in my Patent No. 2,318,041, issued May 4, 1943. This and other prior types oi door checks, while they may latch the door in an open position at substantially right angles to their closed position, are not adapted to the moving of the door to a fully opened position to lie along a wall in which the door is mounted. Also, they are not arranged to check the opening action of the door by the same checking mechanismwhich checks the closing of the door. Such an arrangement is desirable for example in filling stations, Where a door'is mounted in a wall adjacent an automobile driveway. In such a location if the door is left ajar at an angle of approximately 90 to the wall in which it is mounted, it is apt to be struck by a passing automobile. Aside from such danger, a door held in such a 90 position frequently is in the way oi those working near it.

An object of the present invention is to make an improved door check.

Another object is to make a door check having a hydraulic cylinder and a spring actuated piston connected to a door by a bracket so that the device will act as a door closer and door check in the closed position, and also as a door opener and door check in a fully open position.

Another object is to make a door check with a hydraulic cylinder and integral liquid storage reservoir pivoted to one unit of a door and frame combination, and a hydraulic piston connected to the other unit of the combination so that the device will act as a hydraulic check and door closer up to a predetermined angle of door opening movement and beyond that point will act as a hydraulic check and door opener up to an opened angle of approximately 180 from 'the doors closed position.

In order to attain these objects, there is provided, in accordance with one feature of the invention, a hydraulic cylinder with a spring actuated piston mounted therein and connected, by a piston rod to a door bracket, the door bracket being so positioned in relation to a door 'and its 9- Claims. (Cl. 16-51) frame upon which the door check is mounted as to act as a closing door check when the door is opened less than a predetermined amount, and to act as an opening door check when the door is opened beyond such amount, the same checking mechanism acting in a similar manner for both `the opening and the closing checking operation. Y

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, which disclose a preferred form of my invention.

In the drawings: I

Fig; 1 is a vertical sectionalview through a door closer embodying the present invention as it would appear mounted on a door and casing, the door and casing being shown fragmentarily; Y Fig. 2 is a'sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2, but with the door in fully open position.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a door I0 is hinged in a door casing II as on butt hinges I2. A doorcheck housing I3 has an end plate I8 which is pivoted on a post I4 of a mounting plate I5. The mounting plate is set in a recess cut in the head of the door casing II so as to lie flush with the surface of the head, and is secured in position by screws I6. A retaining screw I1 holds the end plate I8 on the post I4.

A cylindrical tube 20 is mounted in the lower part of an oval body portion I9 of the housing I3, the ends of the tube 20 being gripped between the end plate IB and an opposite end plate 2l. The cylinder 20 has a slotted opening 22 extendingapproximately one-half the length of theV upper side of the tube 20. The function of this slotted opening will be brought out later inthe specification.

A hollow or `tubular piston 23 is mounted within the tube 20 to have a sliding t therein, and a ball check 24 is mounted in the right hand end of the piston 23. The ball check 24 is mounted to seat on a valve seat 25 formed in the piston. A liquid control passage 21 connects the right hand end of the cylinder 20 to the interior ofthe housing I3 above the cylinder, and a needle valve 28 is mounted to control the flow of fluid through the passage 21.

A bracket 29 connects the left hand end of the piston 23 to a piston connecting rod 30 which Vprojects outwardly through the end 2I of the housing I3 and is bent downwardly as at 3l. The

.bracket rides in the slot in the upper side of the cylinder 20. The downwardly bent end portion that the downturned end portion 3l of the rodv 30 may be pivoted in any oi these openings, thereby Varying its position relatively to the edge of the door and the pintle of the hinge I2. Such variation of the point of pivotal vconnect-ion of the rod 30 with the bracket 32 will change the angle at which the change fromdoor openingto door closing action occurs.

An opening 34 is provided in a side door frame member or jamb A2 to receive the end of the bracket. 32 when. the door'mo'ves tothe closed position. Preferably `athimble 35 is vinserted in :the hole 34 to seal 'oi the hole yand to provide -a 'decorative trim for it. l

-A coil spring v31. vis. connected between the bracket 29 and the endplateZ I, of the housing I3 -so 'as normally'. to draw the bracket and its connected piston 23 and rod 30 to the limit of their Aextended,or right handfmovement. A quantity of `hydraulic fluid S8-'is provided in the housing 19, the 'if-luid being` of a depth to slightly more than cover the cylinder-20.

When the door is in the closed ,position illustrate'd'in Fig. '2, the tension of the spring 31,

acting on the bracket 32r tends tov retain the door td'theclosed position. `When the door 4is opened, however, the 4bracket will move clockwise about ithe pintlepf thehinge I2, thereby moving the rod 30 leftward from the position. illustrated in Fig. l=1. "This 'action moves the piston 23 to the left from the position illustrated in Fig. 1,-exytending the spring 'f3-TI and causing the fluid 38 in the' housing to now through rthe Ahollow piston, through Ythe valve seat 25,v past thervball check 24 4and out of therighthand end Vof the piston.

the ldoorlis 'released before the downturned 'end- `3I-of the rod-33 passes a straight line (indicated by the numeral 39 in Fig. 3);, between the cente'rs of .thepivot `post I4 and the pintle of the -hilnge "I2, the tension 1o'f the spring31 will return thefdoor to closed; position. `On moving vto the closed posi-tion the ball 'check 24. will fseat on its seat 2'51and force liquid trapped between the ball Scheck and the end plate 2l through the liquid control passage 21. "The flow of liquid through -the"\passage 721 may be lcontrolledfby'adjustment 'ofthe-needle valve 28. Ilf, however, the door is 'opened beyond the-straight line of centers position 39, the tension of the spring 3:1 ywill'tend to force the -door to a fully opened-position, as `illustrated -inlFig 13.

Hereagain, in moving to the frully openposi- Etion, the uid check will operate in the same manner as when the 'device is moving the door to `Ithe closed position, and will prevent the door from i slamming against a lWall in which the door frame is mounted. `Tit is apparent, therefore, Kthat with -no additional latches yor mechanisms the dooris hydraulically checked both inopening Iand closing-and the door may be fully opened, and.A ref'tained in fully Iopened position rnerely by moving vthe door beyond the point-where the centers Aof the pintleof the hinge SI2, ythe pivot pin AI'Il and lthe end portion 3I 'of the rod A3F) are iny alignment xwith-each other. Y v i its While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood by those familiar with the art that some modications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is desired, therefore, not to limit the invention except as dened in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A two-way acting doorl check for a hinge mounted door comprising an extensible unit 'spring pressed to extended position, means vmounted toN check a spring pressed extending movement thereof, a pivot adapted pivotally to connectone fend-'fof .the extensible unit to a door Iramewithinafdoor opening in said frame, a bracket adapted to be secured to a door hingedly mounted .on a side of the door opening, the bracket extending beyond the plane of the doors hinged edge, and a pivot connecting the extending portion of the bracket to the other end of the extensible unit. f

2.A two-way acting door check for a hinge mounted door comprising an extensible unit spring pressed `towextended position, lhydraulic check jmea-ns Imounted to` check .a spring pressed yextending movement thereof, a pivot adapted to connect one end of "the extensible -unit wit/hin the door opening in a door casing, a bracket adapted to vbe secured to a door hingedly mounted on a side of said casing to have a por-tion of vsaid bracket extend 'beyond the plane of the doors hinged edge, and afpivotal connection between the bracket at a .point .beyond said edge plane and the other end 4of the extensible unit.

3. An opening and closing 'check for a Adoor hingedly mounted in ay casing., comprising: a spring loaded lextensible door actuator, pivotal means adapted Vto connect Vone end lof theactuator to a door casing, and a bracket adapted to be lxecllymounted'on a door, the .bracket hav-ing an elongatedport-ion adapt-ed to extend into fa recess Iin Ithe door casing, the door actuator bei-ng pivotally connected to the elongated portion-of the door mounted bracket vat a point which will enter the recess when va door on which the bracket is :mounted is ink a closed position.

4. opening and closing check for a door hinge Imounted in a door casing, comprising: -.a housing :adapted to` be pivotally connected yto :a door casing, an extensible rod carried by the housing, a bracket adapted to tbefixedly mounted on a door, hingedly mounted'in the casing, to have a portion -of :said bracket Aextend beyond the yplane of za-"hinged edge of a door on which r'it is mounted, a; pivotal -connection between the Iextensible rod and vthe bracket Aat :a Apoint on .the bracket laterally 'beyond said -door edge plane, ,and inwardly offset .from a line joining'the vpivotal connection ofxthe housing `with vthe door ycasing and the door ihinge.axis, the :pivotal cons nection between the lrod Iand lthe bracket being adapted to'swing outwardly beyond said 'joining :line -on an opening' of :the door Kbeyond aA predetermined amount, :andfa spring lacting between 'the rodand the housing to urge the pivotal connection of the rod to the bracket away from lthe pivotal. 'connectionv for the housing and Tdoor leasing.

5. A two-Way door check-.for vra doorV lhingedly -mounted fin. a casingihaving a side recess-therein, comprising: `a bracket adapted to be .mounted on a doorlandhavinga portion 'thereof adapted, v-When the door is fclosed, to `enter a :recess lina fdoor casing side member "on which the `.door is hingedly. im'eunted, randa checking .dev-ice .having one end thereof adapted to be pivotally connected to a top door casing member and the other end thereof pivotally connected to the bracket at a point adapted to enter said recess.

6. A two-way door check for a door hingedly mounted in a door casing, having a recess in a side thereof, said mounting comprising: a rigid housing, pivot means adapted to connect one end of the housing to a door casing, a rod mounted for free endwise movement in the housing, a spring connected to the rod and to the housing to urge the rod to extended position relatively to the housing, a hydraulic checking device operatively connected between the rod and the housing to resist rapid extending movement of the rod, a bracket adapted to be mounted on a door to have a portion oi the bracket extend beyond the plane of the hinged edge of the door and enter a recess in the door casing, and a pivotal connection between the rod and the bracket at a point adapted to enter said recess.

'7. An opening and closing device for a door hingedly mounted in a door casing having a recess in a side thereof, comprising: a spring loaded extensible member, a pivotal connection adapted to connect one end of said extensible member within a door casing and a bracket adapted to be mounted on such door, said bracket having a portion thereof adapted to extend laterally beyond the plane of the hinged door edge to enter the recess in the door casing, and adjustable pivotal connecting means connecting the other end of the extensible member to the bracket at any of a plurality of points on the portion of the bracket adapted to enter the recess, the latter pivotal connecting means being changeable to vary the location of the pivotal connection with respect to the plane of the door edge and of the axis of the hinged mounting of the door, thereby to vary the opening and closing characteristics of the device.

8. The combination with a door casing having a side recess therein, a door, and hinge means hingedly supporting the door in the casing; of an extensible member comprising a hydraulic cylinder pivoted within the door casing, a hydraulic piston operatively mounted in the cylinder, a piston rod carried by the piston and extending beyond the cylinder, a spring mounted in compression between the piston and a cylinder element resiliently to urge the piston rod outwardly of said cylinder, a bracket mounted on the door and extending into the recess in the casing when the door is closed, and a pivotal connection between the piston rod and the extending portion of said bracket.

9. The combination with a door casing having a side recess therein, a door hingedly mounted on a side of the casing to open outwardly therefrom of a door check comprising an extensible element, spring means resilient urging said extensible element to an extended position, a pivot connecting an end of said extensible member to the door casing at a point inwardly of said door relatively to its direction of opening, a bracket mounted on the inner side of said door and having a portion thereof extending laterally beyond the hinged edge ci said door, and a pivotal connection between the other end of the extensible member from that connected to the door casing and said bracket at a point laterally beyond the hinged edge of said door.

SAMUEL T. ALEXANDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 285,156 Page Sept. 18, 1883 1,876,986 Lishness Sept. 15, 1932 2,318,041 Alexander May 4, 1943 

